What is Manuka Honey:

Manuka honey is a rare and special New Zealand honey made from the nectar of the native Manuka plant. Clever bees collect and transform this nectar into Manuka honey, highly valued for its rare and complex properties. The nectar of the New Zealand Manuka flower contributes the unique natural ingredients to Manuka honey that make it so different to other honeys and so rare. It only comes from New Zealand and is only made for a few weeks each year when the Manuka plant is in flower.

What Makes Manuka Honey Special?:

What makes Manuka honey special and different is its incredible nutritional profile. Regular raw honey is already known for its nutritional and immune-boosting abilities. The typical raw unfiltered honey is a rich source of:

Amino acids

B vitamins (B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid)

Calcium

Copper

Iron

Magnesium

Manganese

Phosphorus

Potassium

Sodium

Zinc

Manuka honey’s nutritional content is up to four times that of normal flower honeys. It’s called the “Unique Manuka Factor”.

Manuka Honey & Well-Being

Manuka honey benefits have been known in the natural health world for a long time. Research is starting to support thousands of years of folk medicine use. Some of the top Manuka honey uses are and benefits include:

Helps with SIBO, Low Stomach Acid, Acid Reflux

May Help Treat Acne and Eczema

Combats Staph Infections (MRSA)

Treats Burns, Wounds and Ulcers

Prevents Tooth Decay and Gingivitis

Aids IBS and IBD Treatment

Improves Sore Throats and Immunity

Helps Allergies

Beauty Treatment and Health Booster

Improves Sleep

What to Look For:

Genuine UMF Manuka honey will have these four things:

It will have a UMF trademark clearly labeled on the front of the container.

It will be from a New Zealand UMF licensed company and labeled in New Zealand.

It will have the UMF company’s name and license number on the label.

It will have a UMF rating number of 5–16+. If it is labeled without the UMF or without a number, then it is not the genuine article.

A Recommendation

I was recently sent a sample of Manuka Honey. I was thrilled because it has been a long time since I’ve purchased any. See, it’s a tad expensive, but worth it. At one time, I worked with a company in Vancouver, BC who made FANTASTIC chocolate bars with Manuka honey. I learned a lot about it working with them and had to eat a lot of chocolate…..a pity. Then along comes this sample and I’m addicted again. The brand is Manuka Health from New Zealand, of course. You can learn more about them here: https://www.manukahealth.co.nz/en-us/our-story/. @ManukaHealthNZ; @ManukaHealthUSA. Interested in purchasing some? Click below.

Beets Are Good Medicine

And their colors are beautiful; red and yellow beets are packed with antioxidants. Don’t throw away the tops! They’re sweet with a spinach-like flavor and have even more antioxidants than the roots. They contain anthocyanins giving them the red color and they also have strong anti-cancer properties. Beets also contain betaine, a natural anti-inflammatory agent that supports heart health. They supply important minerals and vitamins including the vitamins B1, B2, B12 and C, iron, copper, magnesium, iodine, phosphorus, and potassium. PHEW! Beets boost the blood flow, regulate cholesterol levels, and support healthy liver function.

Beets fight anemia and detoxify the body, decelerate the aging process and protect the blood vessels. They’re high in cellulose, antioxidants, and pectin (a special type of fiber that boosts digestion). And…beets boost the stamina, endurance, and performance during a workout, so they are really beneficial for athletes.

You can eat beets raw, juiced, roasted, and cooked.

Selection:

Choose beets that still have all their greens attached; they’ll be fresher. The leaves should be brightly colored and not limp. If you’re looking for a quick beet fix there are a ton of ready to eat options. Many produce departments sell cooked and ready-to-eat beets and spiralized beets. Check the snack section for yummy dehydrated beets and beet chips. If you’re in a natural foods store or health food store, you’ll find beet shots to give you a boost of the antioxidants and some quick energy.

Storage:

If you purchase the beets with their greens still attached, store them separately. Chop off the stems about an inch above the root. Greens should be stored in a microperforated bag; they’ll only last a couple days so use them up quickly. Roots go into the crisper unwrapped and they’ll last one to two weeks.

Banana, Honey & Water Make a Safe and Tasty Remedy for the Whole Family

It’s cough and cold season and there’s nothing worse than your body being wracked day in and day out with a nasty cough. Did you know that bananas are one of your best allies in fighting a cough or bronchitis? What remedy do you turn to when you’re afflicted with a nasty cough? The brightly colored and artificially flavored over the counter syrups? If you are, you might be wasting your money. Since 2006, research has proved over and over again that these products do nothing to bring relief to a cough. Natural, and safe, remedies step in again to do the job.

Banana Cough Cream You Can Make at Home

2 ripe, organic banana (look for ones with a few spots

2 Tablespoons honey

400ml of water

Steps:

Peel and mash the bananas with a WOODEN spoon. Don’t use a metal fork as it will darken the bananas.

Boil the water.

Put the bananas in a heat-safe bowl or pot and add the boiling water.

Cover it and let it set for about 30 minutes.

Uncover and add the honey.

This is about one day’s supply. Take just under a half cup, four times per day. Time it to take it just before you go to bed; bananas help you sleep. Your cough should start to subside in 3 or 4 days.

Of course, I’m not a medical professional. This is a home remedy and should not substitute medical advice from your doctor. If you have a persistent, recurring cough see your medical provider.

Manuka honey is a rare and special New Zealand honey made from the nectar of the native Manuka plant. Clever bees collect and transform this nectar into Manuka honey, highly valued for its rare and complex properties. The nectar of the New Zealand Manuka flower...

And their colors are beautiful; red and yellow beets are packed with antioxidants. Don't throw away the tops! They're sweet with a spinach-like flavor and have even more antioxidants than the roots. They contain anthocyanins giving them the red color and they also...

Banana, Honey & Water Make a Safe and Tasty Remedy for the Whole FamilyIt's cough and cold season and there's nothing worse than your body being wracked day in and day out with a nasty cough. Did you know that bananas are one of your best allies in fighting a...

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Bananas Are Radioactive.

Most of us know bananas are a great source of potassium. But, did you know a small proportion of that potassium is the unstable radioactive isotope potassium-40? Want superpowers?? Sorry, you won’t get them from the radiation by eating bananas.Using calculations based upon the so-called “Banana Equivalent Dose,” you would need 10 million bananas in a single sitting, in order to give yourself a lethal (or superpower-inducing) dose of radiation.

Selection:

Bananas should be yellow, not green. Green bananas don’t always ripen correctly at home and can take up to a week to be ripe enough to enjoy. Avoid brown spots, soft spots, and bruises. Ideally, choose organic, they tend to taste better. Conventional bananas are sprayed with synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides.

Monkeys will choose organic over conventional; they’ll peel a conventional banana but eat an organic banana peel and all.

Storage:

Keep bananas on the countertop. They develop brown spots as they ripen and also become sweeter. If you went overboard and can’t eat them before they get too ripe, freeze them for desserts and smoothies. Peel them, split them in half, put them in a zip top plastic bag, and put them in the freezer. But you knew that didn’t you?

But…Did you know that if you go overboard on salty junk food and feel gross and bloated, potassium-rich foods like bananas, avocados, beans, dark leafy greens, and sweet potatoes can help reduce water retention? Now you do!

Six Craveable Women-Owned Snacks Brands You Should Know About

We love these innovative sister-founders for reenergizing a sauce usually found blended with hummus: tahini! Shelby Zitelman, Jackie (Zitelman) Horvitz and Amy Zitelman bring the tenets of natural to this classic sesame-seed paste by sourcing sesame seeds from just one farm, based in Humera, a town in the Tigray Region of northwestern Ethiopia. Purchase it here: https://amzn.to/2t7fszk

Founder Nona Lim takes inspiration from her Singaporean upbringing and her past as a health-minded professional athlete to craft whole-food, easy-to-prepare noodle bowls, broths, soups and ramen. The flavors are perfectly balanced and serve as a base for any high-quality meal. Purchase it here: https://amzn.to/2WLXxfm

While pregnant, Nicole Dawes dreamed of starting an organic cracker and chip company. Now a multimillion-dollar brand, Late July’s do-good business philosophy promotes organic agriculture, donates 10 percent of profits to nonprofits and makes a super-tasty tortilla chip. Purchase it here:https://amzn.to/2GrM66B

Cisse’ Cocoa Co.

After working for the nonprofit Keep a Child Alive, social-justice advocate Diana Lovett founded Cisse Cocoa Co., which makes thin brownie bites, hot cocoa mixes and baking mixes, and pays a high premium for cocoa to support small farmers.

Founder Poorvi Patodia was inspired to launch her healthy chickpea-based company Biena when she was seeking better-for-you snacks while pregnant. We love how Biena’s cheeky flavors like Rockin’ Ranch and Dark Chocolate make roasted chickpeas delicious and craveable.Purchase it here:https://amzn.to/2SzIXIr

This post (or portions of this post) was provided by New Hope Network. I am a member of the New Hope Influencer Co-op, a network of health and wellness bloggers committed to spreading more health to more people.

Manuka honey is a rare and special New Zealand honey made from the nectar of the native Manuka plant. Clever bees collect and transform this nectar into Manuka honey, highly valued for its rare and complex properties. The nectar of the New Zealand Manuka flower...

And their colors are beautiful; red and yellow beets are packed with antioxidants. Don't throw away the tops! They're sweet with a spinach-like flavor and have even more antioxidants than the roots. They contain anthocyanins giving them the red color and they also...

Banana, Honey & Water Make a Safe and Tasty Remedy for the Whole FamilyIt's cough and cold season and there's nothing worse than your body being wracked day in and day out with a nasty cough. Did you know that bananas are one of your best allies in fighting a...

Don't Miss a Beat!

Want updates in your inbox? Subscribe below. I promise never to spam you.

Avocados: Good Fiber & Good Fat

One medium avocado provides 40% of the recommended daily allowance of fiber and 39% of vitamin K (bone health and proper blood clotting), and 20% of vitamins E and C to support beautiful skin. The healthy fats in avocados help your body absorb the fat-soluable vitamins in other foods.

Selection:

Choose Haas avocados when possible. They’re the ones that turn blackish when ripe and have a rough skin. They’re also the most nutrient-dense and best tasting. The avocados with smooth, shiny skin can be a number of different varieties. Choose ones with deep dark green, almost blackish skin; they’re the ripest. Avoid any with soft spots, air pockets, or a pit that seems to be rolling around inside. Remove the center stem num on the top. If green flesh is revealed, you have a fresh one. If it’s brown or moldy it’s bad.

Most nutritious varieties: Haas and green avocados.

Least nutritious varieties: Florida avocados.

Storage:

Store avocados on the countertop and eat them within a day or two when ripe. You can put them in the refrigerator to slow decay, but that will only get you a couple more days at most. Once an avocado is cut in half, it’ll brown quickly. Leave the pit in the other half if you aren’t going to eat it all right away; that’ll keep it from browning. Or, store the cut avocado in a small glass container with coarsely chopped onion in the bottom (the skin of the avocado, not the flesh should be in contact with the onion), seal it with a tight-fitting lid, and keep it in the fridge. The onion’s oils are powerful antioxidants that prevent browning.